Yamnuska Staff, June 2008

The experience and training of the guides and instructors is integral to the quality and enjoyment of your experience with Yamnuska

Guide profiles

These guide bios will allow you to meet many of our guides and instructors. Not everyone is featured here yet though it is our intention to profile as many as possible. Listings are arranged alphabetically.

David Begg  |  Steve Blagbrough  |  Jason Billing  | Barry Blanchard  |  James Blench  | Patrick Delaney  |  Jesse de Montigny  |   Richard Howes  |  Sarah Hueniken  |  Conrad Janzen  |  Brett Lawrence  |  Grant Meekins  |  Matt Mueller  |  Dave Stark  |  Mike Stuart  |  Mike Trehearne

David Begg
The Director of Yamnuska Mountain Adventures, David grew up in New Zealand where he began a life-long commitment to mountaineering when he was 16. New Zealand's Southern Alps were a perfect place to develop as a serious mountaineer. Upon graduation from University in 1975 he abandoned academia in favor of a mountain lifestyle. Between forays to climb in Europe and Alaska he also began working as a guide in New Zealand's premier mountain region, Mt. Cook. After qualifying as an internationally certified mountain guide in 1983 David emigrated to Canada where a few short years later he found himself at the helm of Yamnuska where he has stayed ever since.

David particularly enjoys guiding ski mountaineering and introducing beginners to backpacking and mountaineering in the summer where he especially appreciates seeing his clients discovering the mountains the way he did 30 years ago in New Zealand. He lives in Canmore with his wife Maria and children Kate and Nick.

Steve Blagbrough
"Stevie B" is a fully certified international Mountain Guide from the UK who joined us 4 years ago from a position at prestigious Glenmore Lodge in Scotland. Steve's strong commitment to guiding and instruction has produced great benefit to Semester students and anyone else lucky enough to have him as an instructor or guide.

Steve has been active in the outdoors for the past twenty years, most as a professional instructor, not only in mountaineering but also in many related pursuits such as kayaking and sailing. He has a particular interest in avalanche safety and is one of the main instructors on Yamnuska's avalanche safety courses.

Jason Billing
Jason began climbing at the ripe age of 13 and hasnt really looked back since. His love for climbing has taken him to beautiful spots all over the world - Australia, France, Italy, Switzerland, Mexico, and climbing areas across the U.S. and Canada. But still he thinks: "the Rocky Mountains are the best, just so much variety in all seasons, so much space and untouched wilderness, so many amazing climbs and mountains."

Though rock climbing is his first love and true talent, in High School he began ice climbing and went on to climb such Bow Valley classics as "The Sorcerer", "Nightmare on Wolf Street", "French Reality", "Ten Years After" and "The Replicant".

Jason has been guiding with Yamnuska for 3 years and is passionate about giving his guests 100% of his energy. "Climbing has given me so much, and as a guide my goal is to show my guests how much the mountains, wilderness and climbing can give them. It is a real pleasure to see their eyes opened, to see them learn something new and do things that they never thought possible." An ACMG Assistant Alpine Guide, Jason is on the path to becoming a fully-certified IFMGA Mountain Guide.

Barry Blanchard
Barry is an Associate Director of Yamnuska involved in promotion of Yamnuska and mentoring of junior guides.

Canadian Mountain Guide and alpinist, Barry Blanchard, was born in Calgary, March 29, 1959. Twelve years later three boys navigated the Bow River through the western side of the city on a raft of nailed together railway ties, Barry was at the helm steering the adventure. He found mountain climbing in the books of his high school library, some of which are still in his possession.

A six month trip to the French Alps in 1980 set the course of Barry's life: to climb the steepest and most complicated faces of the world's great glaciated peaks.

Barry has enjoyed some success: the first ascent of The Andromeda Strain, 1983; the North Ridge of Rakaposhi, 1984; the first ascent of the apocalyptic North Pillar of North Twin; the West Ridge of Mt Everest, 1986; surviving the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat, 1988; a solo first ascent on the North Face of Kusum Kanguru, 1991; an attempt on K-2, 1993; first ascents in the St Elias mountains; M-16, a first ascent -in winter on the East Face of Howse Peak, 1999; the third ascent of the Infinite Spur on MT Foraker, 2000; the first ascent of Infinite Patience on the Emperor Face of Mt Robson, 2002.

More importantly Barry has enjoyed all of his outings, even the ones not included in the narrow definition of "success". Barry moved to the mountains in 1982 to pursue his Mountain Guiding career (he is an internationally certified -IFMGA- mountain guide) and has included making Hollywood features such as "K-2", "Cliffhanger" and "The Vertical Limit" in his professional life. Barry lives in Banff, Alberta, with his wife Catherine Mulvihill, whom he met on a Mt Everest expedition in 1994, their daughters Rosemary and Eowyn, and their dogs, Finnegan and Seamus.

Book a climb with Barry Blanchard.

James Blench
James is something of a legend in guiding circles. One of the original "Yam" guides, he was involved in its founding and has been involved in the founding of the company and has been an active guide and instructor since the late '70s. James was a member of the small group of young climbers that put ice climbing and the Canadian Rockies on the map in the '70s and early '80s. He participated in many seminal first ascents including the first free ascent of Nemesis. He participated in the successful ascent of the W. Ridge of Everest in 1986 and made the first ascent of the S. Face of Gangapurna in '81.  He has also climbed extensively in Peru. To this day James is an active high-end climber.

James is an fully certified international Mountain Guide (IFMGA), he guides and instructs all aspect of mountaineering including avalanche safety programs. He obviously derives great enjoyment from being in the mountains as his clients can attest. He lives in Canmore with his wife Leslie and son Simon.

 

Patrick Delaney
Patrick is perfectly bilingual and loves his Job. "I think guiding is an amazingly honorable profession. I totally enjoy spending time in the mountains and sharing the beauties and challenges found in them with others is a real privilege". He is super motivated to experience and enjoy all types of climbing. In winter he spends as many days ice and mixed climbing as possible. In summer Patrick he stays fit on the gymnastically-energetic climbing found on the steep limestone of the Canadian Rockies. In addition to climbing across Canada, he has also climbed extensively in the United States and Europe with expeditions to Alaska, Pakistan and South America.

"Basically I like it all: Long or short days, hard or easy routes, near or far, as long as my partners and I are having fun, I love it!"

Jesse de Montigny
Assistant Operations Director, Jesse grew up in Campbell River, BC. Jesse moved to Canmore 10 years ago to take part in Yamnuska's Three Month Mountain Skills Semester.  He stayed in Canmore to pursue a career in the outdoor guiding industry and is now a Full Ski guide and Assistant Alpine Guide.  Jesse has been working for Yamnuska for the past 6 years and is a valuable addition to the Yam team! 

Jesse's favorite personal trips include many overseas rock climbing areas, such as: Thailand, Australia, Greece, Mexico and throughout the United States. He lives in Canmore year round with his wife Christine. 

Richard Howes
Richard is perhaps our most cosmopolitan guide. An Australian/Canadian resident in Germany, Richard spends his northern summers guiding for Yamnuska in the Canadian Rockies. Richard is another guide who works extremely hard for guests and is consequently in much demand. Richard has been instructing rock and alpine mountaineering for Yamnuska for 12 years. His primary residence is near Munich in Germany though you may also find him guiding in New Zealand from time to time.

 

 

Sarah Hueniken
Sarah came to Yamnuska Mountain Adventures five years ago with an extensive outdoor education background.  Following a degree in Outdoor Recreation, Sarah worked for several Outward Bound schools and the National Outdoor Leadership School throughout the United States and Canada, as well as creating a climbing program for St Lawrence University.

Sarah works year round for YMA on an occasional basis guiding ice, alpine and rock programs as well as helping out with the semester.  Having been an avid rock climber for 11 years, Sarah feels fortunate to call Canmore home and to be able to share her passion of the mountains with others as a career.

 

Conrad Janzen
Conrad grew up in Northern Alberta and has been passionate about the outdoors from an early age. After graduating from the Yamnuska Mountain Skills Semester Conrad went on to forge a solid outdoor career with Outward Bound before returning to the Bow Valley to concentrate on high guiding and instruction. A gifted and talented instructor of rock and ice climbing and alpine mountaineering, Conrad has worked for Yamnuska for the last five years and has added particular value to the Semester program. He lives in Banff with his wife Coralee.

Brett Lawrence
Growing up in Eastern Ontario Brett has always been passionate about the outdoors. Early adventures in the Adirondacks were followed by the Yamnuska Mountain Skills Semester after which the die was cast and Brett moved to the mountains to focus on building the experience which ultimately allowed him to gain Mountain Guide certification. An expert mountaineer, Brett has been a mainstay of our guiding program for several years.

 

Grant Meekins
Born and raised in the Yukon Territory, Grant lived above the Arctic Circle for several years and spent most of his youth in the mountains and on the rivers of northern Canada. Involved in sports from an early age, he was Yukon's "Athlete of the Year" in 1979, for his performances in Cross Country Skiing, Table Tennis and Wrestling.

Grant began climbing in 1980, and has been a climber ever since. After getting degrees from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, as well as from Laval University in Quebec, Grant moved to Alberta where he enjoys rock, ice and mixed climbing. He has numerous first ascents to his credit, and has climbed several of the world's most difficult mixed climbs.

After starting his guiding career in 1998, Grant quickly became respected as a clear, patient instructor, and as an excellent climbing guide. He is currently finishing his certification with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.

Bilingual in French and English, Grant worked as a high school teacher before discovering his love of guiding. He has a calm, easy-going manner, and gets deep satisfaction out of helping people attain their dreams. Grant lives in Canmore with his wife, the world champion extreme skier Maegan Carney and their son Lincoln.

Matt Mueller
Matt had spent the last 15 years climbing, skiing and being tent bound in some of the best mountain scenery the continent has to offer. A few years ago he decided to turn his passion into his profession and began the trip down the Mountain Guide certification road. Since then he has spent the majority of his time in the mountains, either as a professional guide, or on his own trips. His travels have taken him from the granite coastline of Nova Scotia to the remote ranges of Alaska and most places in between. As for the future, Matt plans to finish his UIAGM certification and use his profession to travel the world and see what the possibilities are.

 

Dave Stark
Dave, Yamnuska's Director of Operations, is in charge of guiding operations at Yamnuska. Dave grew up, like so many guides, back East. Initially qualifying as a diver Dave eventually found himself in the West where he quickly gained skills and experience working as a ski patroller, Outward Bound Instructor and as Park Ranger. After working on and off for Yam Dave joined full time in 1989 to take charge of the Semester Program. Over the years Dave took on more and more responsibility to the point where today he supervises all aspects of guiding and instruction including recruiting and training guides and brings a personal interest to risk management.

Dave's guiding interests these days focus on avalanche safety training, ski mountaineering and team building for management groups. He lives in Canmore with wife Carole and son Taylor.

Mike Stuart
Mike Stuart decided to pursue a career in guiding after coming to visit Banff and realizing the potential for outdoor adventure to be found in the Canadian Rockies.

It was perhaps due to his exposure to those Manitoba winters which resulted in Mike choosing ice climbing as his first climbing experience and that soon became his sport of choice. His skills and knowledge rapidly accelerated following his move to Canmore and it wasn't long before he was climbing Grade 6+.  Having climbed many of the Rockies "classics" such as the Weeping Pillar,  The Sliver,  French Maid,  Sea of Vapours, Nemesis, and the Replicant, Mike is happiest with tools in his hands and spikes on the ice.

As a guide Mike loves taking people into the mountains and enjoys watching them learn and grow through personal challenge and self-discovery. "Watching people make that personal connection with themselves and with nature through their climbing pursuits is very rewarding and being able to share in that experience is one of the many reasons I have chosen guiding as a profession". As a climber his focus is on pure lines and big peaks in the alpine and meeting the challenge of the technical demands that this style of climbing inevitably entails.

 

Mike Trehearne
Growing up in Lethbridge, my first experiences in the mountains came when I was about 4 years old. My old man put me on my first pair of skis and cast me off on bunny hill in Fernie. I've been hooked on the mountain life ever since. After an extended road trip, and a year of schooling in Fernie at the College of the Rockies, I moved to Canmore and have been here ever since, training for the rest of my exams/certifications needed to become an IFMGA Mountain Guide. Outside the Rockies, I've spent time digging out my buried tent in Alaska, deep water soloed in the Mediterranean, climbing in the southern United States, and spent seasons in Chamonix and the European Alps. Why I love what I do? When I was young and growing up I had so many people share such a wealth of knowledge and experience with me in the mountains, it's a lot of fun now as a guide to be able to share those same experiences and pass new one's on to our guests on all these wild routes.

Nicholas Rapaich
At the age of 4 I was placed on skis and sent down the bunnyhill. Ever since it has been one of my passions and has allowed me to make the mountains my lifestyle. Originally from Ontario, I moved to Canmore in 1992 and I have worked all over BC's backcountry lodges as a RMT. Having access to some of the world's finest powder skiing inspired me to change professions and follow my true passion. I always fell like a kid when I click on my skis, nothing gets me more motivated and excited. Sharing that experience with others and watching that kid immerge from within as they click in and follow is a hard job to beat. I have been fortunate to work on Yamnuska's rock and ski programs over the past five years and to help get more people interested in the passions that have defined my life. Come and sign up with one of our courses and you'll be sure not to be disappointed.

 

Guide Certification, Training & Qualities

Yamnuska guides and instructors are certified as described below. In addition to certification, which only relates to a guide's technical competence, they need many other skills and qualities. They need to be endowed with patience, empathy, and a sense of humor. They must also be effective communicators and great coaches.

Yamnuska guides and instructors are certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or other member associations of the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) of which the ACMG is a member. Yamnuska guides and instructors operate within the certification and terrain guidelines of the ACMG. They are also certified in Wilderness First Aid and in Avalanche Safety. In addition guide and instructor certification must meet the standards dictated by the various Land Managers who license our operations. Where jurisdictional standards are low  (British Columbia) Yamnuska follows the higher ACMG standards.